Here is the last one of the year, or is it the first of the year? I dont know but its the vote for December 2023, usual rules apply, anyone can vote and please say if you vote and who for and why, just to make it more interesting.
vote will close at 10 pm Tuesday 2nd January.
Nominations
1. Hannah Klugman - for winning the prestigious Orange Bowl championship, a J500 event. Aged 14. The first British girl ever to have done so. Past winners of this event include Chris Evert, Caroline Wozniacki, Bianca Andreescu and Coco Gauff. Hannah also reached the doubles semifinal.
2. Heather Watson - for building on a successful end of Nov/beginning of December (when she reached the SF of the singles and final of the doubles of the W125 in Andorra, apparently being prevented from winning both matches by a minor injury sustained in the singles) and reaching the SF of the W100 in Dubai, only losing by a whisker, and the final in the doubles. The net result saw her leapfrog over Maia Lumsden on 11 Dec to re-take the #1 British women's doubles spot. And for playing really well and giving us all a lot of pleasure at seeing Hev back, hitting that ball.
3. Kat Barnes - for getting her third counter, and a WTA ranking, by making the QFs, beating well ranked players along the way
4. Hannah Rylatt - for winning the J100 at Loughborough, even though she was only 6th seed; also, won the Tennis Scotland Open Tour Finals event in week 51.
5. Jay Clarke & James Mackinlay - for back-to-back doubles titles at Turkey 15ks (particularly noteworthy for James, tbh, but well done to both - and for giving us something to smile about in a relatively skinny tennis period)
6. Ranah Stoiber - for capping off a nice year of progress, resulting in a career high end of year ranking on the main tour, and setting herself up nicely for full time on the main tour in 2024, by winning the British Tour Masters.
7. Marcus Walters - for winning the British Tour Masters having also topped the league standings for the 2023 season
8. Paul Jubb - for winning the 15K in Spain after a long period out due to injury.
9. Jack Draper - for winning the UTS Season Final. It may not be standard tennis but Jack showed he can compete with and beat much higher ranked players. Given the fast pace of the format, he's also demonstrated he's ended an injury-ridden season with a great level of fitness. And he won $546,800 -- a very nice return for 3 days' work, especially compared with the c. $740,000 he earned on the main tour across the whole of the previous 11 months.
10. Megan Knight - for reaching the final of the U12 Junior Orange Bowl through a series of very dominant wins, and the putting up a good fight in the final against an extremely strong and talented opponent.
11. Anna Brogan - for maintaining her position in the top 400 womens rankings list.
12. Emile Hudd - for gaining the only ATP ranking point of all our men in week 51 of December and for generally making a good fist of his tournament play down under in the past month or so.
13. Hephzibah Oluwadare - age 16 - for winning the Premier British Tour event at Loughborough, prize money £1.5k to the winner. She's a little in the shadow of Hannah and Mimi etc so lovely to see her get a good title - and she's got a great name :)
14. Phoenix Weir - for winning the British Tour Premier event following being RU at the British Tour Masters just a few days earlier.
15. Oliver Tarvet - for winning the M15 title in Monastir which will see him take out his CH ranking and crack the Top 750 for the first time.
-- Edited by JonH comes home on Monday 1st of January 2024 09:59:06 PM
I usually vote for the men and was tempted to vote for Jack, but on this occasion Hannah Ks exploits in Florida just stood out - outstanding and she gets my vote
And remember, the winner and runner up (and any ties) WILL qualify for 2024 Player of the Season in 12 months time! Which may seem a long way away but we reward all players of the month equally, regardless
Of timing - and December 2023 is being counted in the 2024 process as it was left out of the 2023 player of the season process!
11 votes in so far. Im off out for the afternoon so Ill check the scores on the doors and provide an update on standings this evening. Plenty of time to go!